The short story “The Knife” utilizes various forms of diction to strengthen the quality of the text. He uses imagery in order to draw the audience into the story. Vivid phrases, such as “the tight click of clamps” and “the tough fibrous sheet” create a description that resonates with the audience. Selzer uses diction to create the tone and mood of the story. In the opening paragraph, his word choice suggests that the speaker is a murderer; in later paragraphs, it is implied that the speaker is a surgeon trying to save a patient. His use of jargon, such as “clamp, sponge, suture, tie, cut” and “hemostats and forceps” shows that the main character is a doctor, as they are the only people with this knowledge and access to these medical supplies.